VOLLEYBALL 2019
WIllmar • ACGC • BLHS • BBE • Benson • BOLD • Dawson-Boyd • Hancock • KMS • NLS • Lac Qui Parle Valley • Litchfield • Minnewaska Montevideo • Paynesville • Renville County West • MACCRAY • Morris/Chokio Alberta • Yellow Medicine East • CMCS
Cardinals retool team from back row forward By Tom Larson tlarson@wctrib.com
Willmar will be building from the back row forward as the 2019 Cardinals look to equal or better their 22-8 mark and playoff run from a year ago. The Cardinals return with their three Defensive Specialists back from last year. Abby Stark (5-9, Jr., Libero) has been an all-conference Libero that last two seasons and is a North Dakota State commit. Stark set the Willmar school-record with 509 digs last season and she served 50 aces. Callie Slagter (5-6, Jr., DS) and Cambrie Parker (5-3, Sr., DS) both were all-conference Honorable Mention selections last season. Slagter had 189 digs and Parker had 160 digs. Up front, the Cardinals will be looking to replace established veterans Grace Marti, Caitlin Ogdahl and Sydney Olson. Setter Carly Wedel also graduated. Lydia Larson has experience in Wedel’s role and Bailey Olson had 79 kills last season. The Cardinals will need to further develop hitters Sophia Kobienia, returning starter Sydney Schnichels (6-3, Fr., OH), Abby Teisinger, Marissa Rosen and Madelyn Gregory, said head coach Stacy Grussing. “We should be very strong in the backcourt,” Grussing said. “To be successful, we need to develop new hitting leaders. Each has put in a lot of work in the offseason. Our goal will be to continue at the high level of play that Willmar teams have achieved the last few years and to be in the fight for conference and
West Central Tribune
The Willmar Cardinals see players like Sophie Kobienia (1) and Abby Teisinger (3) taking on leadership roles at the net this season.